General areas of expertise:

Overview of current program:

I am a member of a multi-disciplinary diagnostic team; as such I am primarily responsible for the diagnosis of plant diseases. Annually, our lab receives approximately 1,000 – 1,500 plant samples for plant health analysis. These samples are primarily from within Michigan and represent both commercial growers and private citizens.

Additionally, I enjoy collaborations with my department colleagues that allow us to recognize and address challenges to Michigan’s agriculture. Through some of these collaborations we have implemented molecular-based diagnostic techniques that were developed in research programs and augment traditional methods.

As part of a federal program, I receive samples for Phytophthora ramorum testing. While not currently present in Michigan, this is an extremely destructive pathogen and is a potential threat to Michigan’s forests and nursery industry.

Michigan States’ Diagnostic Services Lab is the regional center for the North Central Plant Diagnostic Network. As such I work closely with our network of diagnosticians to promote continued collaboration and training for diagnosticians.